Second Life
by chrisxgirlx
Summary: Sometimes in life all you need is a second chance. Season 2 onwards.
1. Runner

_****_**Chapter One**

_You might mistake me for heart breaker  
'Cause there's blood on the floor  
I'm hoping you will see, there's something good in me  
Never seen before_

_Alexis Jordan - Good Girl_

"Please tell me you're kidding!"

Dr Lola Cassidy looked between Colonel Sheppard and Dr Weir, unable to fully grasp what they had just in fact told her. John had just returned to Atlantis only a short few minutes ago, from a planet experiencing high levels of radiation whenever the sun came up, and he was asking for a field medic. Unfortunately for Lola, that meant her.

After Major Lorne and the botanist he'd been escorting had stumbled upon the body of a Wraith and realized that the enzyme pouch had been removed they'd quickly reported back to Atlantis. It was clear to everyone involved who was responsible; it was their first real lead in their search for Lt Aiden Ford, who'd been missing since after the Wraith attack on Atlantis.

Since returning to the planet along with John and his team, they'd stumbled upon yet another problem, one unrelated to the radiation danger or Lt Ford. There was now a man, someone on the run who called himself a Satedan, who was holding Teyla captive. He was bartering with her life in order to get the medical aid offering his ability to help track down Lt Ford.

"Surely your more qualified for the kind of surgery this is going to require Carson." Lola said, tilting her head around to look at other Doctor as she slipped into the black tactical vest John had handed her.

"Your experience out in the field makes you the more qualified one my dear...and it's not your first time, you go off-world all the time..." Carson told her, coming to a stop beside her, a frown etched into his kind features, making him appear older than he was. He was worried; Lola had known him long enough to know that, it was rolling off him in waves.

Carson had handpicked Lola personally for the Atlantis mission around 15 months ago. He'd found himself fascinated and somewhat in awe of the young woman whose experience out in the field and innate ability to work in some of the most heinous of conditions had gotten her quite a reputation. When he'd worked briefly out in the Sudan he'd met Lola and could easily see her potential for greater things. So when the time had come to pick his team he'd been left with no doubt in his mind that he'd wanted her to join them.

It had been a position Lola had easily accepted, not thinking twice on the fact that there may be no returning back to Earth. The opportunity to not only work with someone like Carson whose reputation was far greater than her own, but to also travel to another galaxy had been far too good for her to turn down.

Sighing quietly Lola used her slender hand to comb her fingers through her glossy, chocolate coloured curls, making quick work of tying it up and out of the way, her honey brown eyes closing briefly. As Carson reached out for the fitted light kit she'd be carrying, once the younger woman had zipped up her vest, he helped her to get it on over her shoulders, and whilst she fastened it into place Dr Weir spoke again.

"From what we know from this man as well, you don't have much time." She said, drawing Lola's attention back over to her. The younger woman paused in what she was doing, looking between John and Weir once more, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach, "The wraith could show up at anytime."

According to what John had told them, Ronon Dex, the man currently holding Teyla hostage had a transmitter in his back that allowed the Wraith to track him. "Well that's just, great." Lola stated dryly as Major Lorne walked into the infirmary, immediately heading for the metal case they'd be taking with them to the planet. "What about Lt Ford?" she asked.

"Still in the wind, but we believe he now has Rodney, which is yet another complication we need to resolve and quickly." Weir said, tilting her head to look at John who up until this point had remained silent, his thoughts clearly on his team mates as he picked up the long bag and swung it over his shoulder.

"We'll find him, both of them and bring them back." There was a determination in his voice that made everyone stand up and take attention, all of them feeling the confidence behind his words. Suddenly the situation appeared more manageable, they were going to get their people back and hopefully help someone else in the process.

Smiling softly she turned to Carson and bid him a quiet goodbye, letting her hand rest over his arm reassuringly, "See you soon." She said, before turning to Dr Weir, nodding her head in the direction of the other woman before she stepped up to join Sheppard and Lorne, both of who were carrying most of her equipment and now flanking her on either side as they left the infirmary. Lola couldn't help but admire the attention these men got as they walked through the corridor, you could see the respect for them in the faces of the people they passed on the way to the Jumperbay.

Lola could still remember the first time she'd met John.

Going off-world was always a bit of a nerve wrecking thing, after all even the simplest of missions could take a turn for the worse in this galaxy with the wraith now awake. Lola like most of the people on Atlantis had endured through some of the worst that the Pegasus Galaxy could throw at them; this would be a cake walk when compared to the storm they had managed to survive.

"So why did the wraith make this guy a runner? What's the point?" Lola asked as the readjusted one of the two bags she was carrying, over her shoulder. She was confused as to why the wraith would feel the need to do such a thing, but then again they were monsters, perhaps this was all some sick game to them. She couldn't imagine the horror of what this Ronon Dex had been through. No matter what was happening now, and despite her intense worry for Teyla, Lola's heart ached for this man. No one deserved to suffer through anything like that; it was no way to live your life and she couldn't help but wonder how long he'd been like this, how long had he been running, all alone.

"Sport maybe, or even study, with the wraith you never know." John replied with a small shrug of his shoulders, sure he felt for the other man but there was still the issue that he had Teyla prisoner and until that was resolved as far as John was concerned he was just another problem they had to contend with.

"It's barbaric; no one should have to go through that." Lola said the sympathy clear in her voice. John looked down at the younger Doctor and frowned as they entered the jumperbay, hoping she wasn't going to allow herself to get caught up in feeling sorry for the runner, after all if he could get the drop on both Teyla and John who were both incredibly skilled in what they did, then he was a danger. Hopefully Lola kept her wits about her; the last thing he wanted was to have to worry about someone else.

"Let's just keep focus here Doc. Get the transmitter out, get Teyla, find Ford, and come home. No getting involved." He told her firmly, his eyes watching as she strapped herself into her seat in the jumper behind Lorne. Lola nodded her head, confirming she understood. John tilted his head back around, sharing a look with Lorne before he refocused on the screen in front of him, as his hands began their expert work over the DHD, "Here we go."

* * *

_**Hey everyone! Okay I've returned back to my love for SGA and had to write this story. I'm incredibly excited about it so I hope you guys enjoy it just as much. It's not my first OC story.**_

_**Remember reviews are always appreciated. **_


	2. You're not alone

**Chapter 2**

_Reach for a hand to hold._

_And any wonder_

_We need to find_

_A certain something, certain._

_Aqualung - Something To Believe In_

Lola sighed quietly when she found herself struggling to remain upright, the extra weight from the portable surgery she was carrying, becoming harder to handle due to the dense forestation they were stumbling through. Not even John's steadying grip on her elbow was helping matters; it made Lola feel half tempted to applaud Ronon Dex for having chosen such an excellent hiding place, after all it wasn't the most accessible location for someone to reach.

"For what it's worth I wouldn't send you in there if I thought for a second he was going to hurt you." John said after he chanced a glance down into the cave where Ronon still held Teyla captive. Beside him Lola looked at him with a cautious frown, was he really that confident this man wouldn't hurt her?

"Is that opinion based on any solid evidence?" she asked John who met her eyes, the expression on his face giving the impression he was deliberating his answer.

"Lola, trust me. I'll be watching, you're not gonna be alone..."

_Lola lifted the glass, tipping her head back to allow the fiery liquid slide easily down her throat. The burning sensation in her chest was one she welcomed, it helped to force away the haunting images that had plagued her mind since they'd left Hoff. Even after losing fifty percent of their population the Hoffan's were resolute that they'd done the right thing in giving everyone the serum. They were wrong though, nothing was worth losing all those lives and her complicity of the situation sliced through her like a knife. _

_Beside her, propped up against the foot of his bed, John sat nursing his own glass of the cheap scotch he'd confiscated from another marine. The alcohol was working its magic that was for sure, his head was spinning a little, as he turned to look at the young woman beside him. They hadn't spoken much since they'd sat down in his quarters and begun drinking, there was nothing really either could say to even begin to get their heads around what had happened today. Seeing her empty glass he reached out and filled it up again, having long since lost track of how many full glasses they'd both consumed. _

"_I don't know what to feel." Lola said quietly, breaking the heavy silence, her eyes fixed onto the glass in her hand, "I just feel numb."_

"_I get that." John replied, a small frown on his face as he looked away from Lola, his eyes straying to the small, modest window in his room. "Just remember you're not alone in that."_

_Lola shook her head, over the years she'd grown so used to seeing someone dying, to seeing that last flicker of life fade from their eyes. After a while you grew numb to it, not because you'd stopped caring but because if you didn't it would destroy from the inside out. No matter what though, no matter how numb you became witnessing such atrocities, it left scars on your soul, scars unlikely to ever fade. _

_If there was anyone who could understand what she was feeling right now it was John, Lola knew of the weight he carried after what happened to Colonel Sumner and she knew he'd be feeling the burden of their situation on Hoff. If you looked close enough you could see it in his hazel eyes, "I'm not alone." Lola repeated quietly, her nimble fingers resting between the grooves of his knuckles. _

"_What do you want Lola?" John asked quietly, as he looked up from where her hand rested over his, the air around them began to change into something more, something that they both needed, something more primal and savage._

"_I just want to feel something good." She admitted her voice barely a whisper as she looked back into his hazel eyes. A moment of understanding passed between them silently, what happened tonight was nothing more than just two people searching for something to hold onto, something to wash away the horror of the last 24 hours. After tonight things would go back to the way they were meant to be._

"_I can help with that." John murmured, his fingertips brushing away the dark curls from her face, before his large hand covered her cheek, pulling her closer as he pressed his lips to hers._

_End Flashback_

It had been one glorious, unforgettable night they'd shared together, but that's all it was, one night. It had been somewhat of a silent agreement that it wouldn't go any further. There were no feelings there that surpassed platonic; they were friends, nothing more and nothing less.

"I'll be seeing you soon then." She replied with a small smile. If John was confident she'd be alright that was enough for her and knowing he'd be watching made her feel more confident about walking down into the cave and facing Teyla's captor.

Lola steeled herself, straightening her spine and taking a calming breath before she took her first few steps into the clearing. Almost immediately she paused, allowing the captor to get used to her presence as her eyes sought him out. His six foot tall stature dwarfed Teyla almost, as she stood by his side quietly, offering a grim smile to Lola as the younger woman's eyes flickered to her.

"Hi there..." Lola offered as a form of greeting, smiling softly as she moved further into the clearing, "I must admit this has to be the strangest house call I've ever had to make." She joked, hoping to make Ronon feel a little more at ease with her presence or at the very least lighten their situation.

As she drew closer to both Teyla and Ronon, she stopped looking around at the cave and instead turned her entire attention onto Ronon. There was no denying that he was incredibly powerful, just one look at his impressive muscles provided her with that much. He was filthy, awfully grizzled, his dreadlocks hung loose and fell midway down his back and again she was left wondering how long he'd been on the run. Lola's eyes swept up past the strange tattoo on his neck, before meeting his gaze evenly.

He was watching her, his keen green eyes studying her carefully. It was only for a split second but the moment their eyes locked, Lola felt something pass between them, something she could almost touch if she'd reached out her hand into the air around her. Ronon's gaze was drawn over her shoulder, snapping their brief connection, a brief look of puzzlement and distress passing across his features before they once again became a blank, impassive mask.

"What's in the bags Doc?" he asked her, his voice a low rumble as he tilted the large gun in his hand towards Teyla. For a moment, Lola found herself surprised and a little angry with herself, for not concentrating on the fact he had a gun.

"Surgical implements, diagnostic tools, various drugs, analgesics, antibiotics. Everything I may need." Lola replied, watching as he tilted his head questioningly towards Teyla.

"What?" he questioned, his eyes flickering back up to Lola who smiled reassuringly. Despite the gun there was nothing about him that seemed overly aggressive in that moment, Lola was confident he didn't want to hurt her or Teyla, whom seemed to be at ease with the entire situation.

"Ronon, Doctor Lola Cassidy. Lola, meet Ronon." Teyla said with a small smile, introducing them both formally.

"Pleasure to meet you Ronon," Lola said politely, before slipping back into professional mode and moving past him to lay her equipment down on a nearby boulder, "I understand you have some sort of a transmitter in your back?"

Ronon gave a short nod, still watching her carefully.

"Well come now, take a seat, remove your shirt and let me take a look." Lola said, nodding to the flat rock on her right. Ronon did as she asked, but kept his gun trained solely on Teyla as he settled himself onto the makeshift chair.

"A little help." He said gruffly, shrugging his shoulders to show what he meant. Lola glanced up and after sharing a brief look with Teyla she reached out to remove the heavy tactical vest and the shredded remains of his shirt. Teyla's fingers were already unbuckling the leather holster from across his chest, leaving Ronon between them, topless.

Even from the back of him Lola could see how well in shape he was, he was perfectly sculptured; his muscle definition was unlike any she'd had the pleasure of seeing before. In every sense of the word he was a survivor, a fighter and at least in Lola's opinion a true work of art. Biting down on her lower lip she brushed his dreadlocks out of the way, setting them over the curve of his broad, yet tense shoulders.

Her honey brown eyes locked onto the vivid red scars marring the smooth unblemished skin on his back, just between his shoulder blades. "Oh my..." she breathed, not meaning to speak the words out loud. Her fingers lightly traced the ridges of the scars, looking for the correct point of the original incision. "You tried to cut this out yourself didn't you?" she asked softly.

Ronon found himself arching into the gentle touch; it had been so long since he'd had any form of human contact let alone felt the comforting touch of another. Until this moment, he hadn't realized how much he'd missed it, how much he craved the warmth of another's embrace. "Once with a mirror but I couldn't reach, most of it's from two Doctors."

Lola found herself scoffing in a very un-lady like manner shaking her head, "I'd hardly call them doctors, butchers sounds more appropriate." As her warm fingers chased along the lines of the scarring one more time, causing Ronon to shiver before he regained control of himself.

"Move it along Doc, the wraith are coming." He reminded her firmly, locking away his emotions once more and resisting the growl of protest that threatened to escape when he felt Lola's hand drop away.

Lola stepped back away from Ronon, reaching into her case for her scanner. Again she was reminding herself to remain professional. Usually she had no problem being professional but there was something about Ronon, something she'd seen in his eyes that she couldn't shake. Already she'd found herself feeling more drawn to him than she knew she should. Stepping back over to Ronon she began running the scanner along the incision and back up again.

"That Ancestor Technology?" Ronon asked them, a hint of interest in his voice. Lola smiled softly, never once looking away from the scanner in her hands.

"It sure is." She said quietly, narrowing her eyes when she pinpointed the location of the transmitter. "Okay Ronon I'm going to need you to put down your weapon and lay down."

"Not a chance." Ronon answered firmly, his eyes locking on to Lola as the smaller woman moved determinedly in front of him.

"Look I've located the transmitter in the soft tissue next to the second thoracic vertebrae. You need to lie down, I'm going to need to give you some anaesthetic to make you sleep as well whilst I remove it." She told him, calmly arching her eyebrow, when he continued to look at her defiantly

"No you won't. Just cut it out." He told her flatly.

"Just cut it out? Did you hear anything I just said at all? Can you quit being so damn stubborn. I'm trying to help you here." Lola snapped.

"Ronon you need to trust us." Teyla pacified, sensing the growing tension. Both Lola and Ronon looked towards the other woman.

"I do." Ronon informed Teyla, before lifting his gun and pointing it directly at her face. "That's why she's here and you're still alive. Now get to work Doc."

Lola pulled on the latex gloves that sat there ready. She felt stupid for believing he wouldn't hurt them. God only knew what he was capable of doing to survive. It wasn't like he knew Teyla and her, he didn't owe them anything. For the first time since stepping into the clearing she felt weary of Ronon.

"Okay just so everyone knows. I don't think this is a good idea. I'm going to be cutting extremely close to your spinal column, if you so much as flinch..." she began warning.

"I won't flinch." Ronon told her resolutely.

"Okay then." Lola said quietly, looking to Teyla who stood by Ronon's side holding the tool tray for her. After placing an antiseptic wipe over the scarring and beneath it to prevent a mess when she began cutting into the skin, she took hold of the scalpel and Lola was finally ready.

"Okay, here we go." She said as a warning before she pressed the sharp blade against his bare flesh. She couldn't imagine how painful it must have been, but true to his word Ronon didn't flinch. His grunts became louder though as she cut deeper into his flesh and she could tell he was struggling so she tried to move as quickly as she could. Finally she used the forceps Teyla provided her with, to force aside the muscle. "Okay I can see it, we're almost there." She told Ronon softly.

Picking up the tweezers she narrowed her eyes, seeing the green flashing light deep inside the open wound. Carefully so as not to cause any more pain she put the tweezers inside the wound, grasping the offending piece of alien technology tightly with the tweezers she began tugging it out. "I've got it." She said, pulling the bloody piece of metal from inside Ronon.

Upon closer inspection she eyed the smallest of buttons on the back, barely visible through all the blood covering the device. Using the pointed end of the tweezers in her hand she pushed the button, and as far as she could see the flashing ceased so it was deactivated. Picking up her scanner once more, she held it over the device, just to be sure and was happy to see there was no signal emitting from it anymore. Dropping the offending device into the tray she turned and placed them both into her case, turning back in time to see Ronon swaying slightly. She reached out, hooking him under the arms, between her and Teyla they managed to slow his descent to the hard ground, though not by much considering the sheer size of him when compared to them.

"I told him he should've taken the anaesthetic." Lola chided, looking up before sharing a smile with the other woman. As Teyla stood, John appeared into the clearing, quickly making his way over to where they were his eyes on Ronon's unconscious form. Sitting back on her heels Lola peered up at him, squinting from the glare of the sun, "So the Lions old cold...what next?"

* * *

**_So here's the seconds chapter!_**

**_So happy with the response the first chapter got. Thank you to those who've put this story on alert, and thanks to those who took the time to review. It makes me happy to know what you guys think about this story so far._**

_Shellbean – Hey hun thanks for such a wonderful review. So you've seen Ronon's reaction to a woman Doctor, it's pretty much the same as Carson, with a few minor difference. Hope you enjoyed this chapter it was a fun one to write. Looking forward to hearing what you think. x_

_Kittenz714 – Another Ronon fan, I'm so glad he's my favourite character. He's a complex character that's for sure, which is part of the reason I love him, there's so much potential there. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm having fun with Lola, and she's definitely turning out to be one of my more favourite OC's. Look forward to hearing from you again soon x_


	3. Make it through

**Chapter 3 **

You're not alone, together we stand,

I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand.

Keep Holding On – Avril Lavigne

Ronon Dex was the last of his people. After they had returned to Atlantis, a MALP had been sent through the stargate to the address Ronon had provided them for the planet Sateda. They had been planning to return him to his world and Lola could tell how much he'd been looking forward to closing the book on his life as a runner for good. Instead his hopes had been shattered into pieces when they discovered that not only had Sateda been culled by the Wraith, but that it had been completely demolished. Crumbling buildings were all that remained of the proud, honourable race of people they now knew as the Satedan's. Scanning the planets for life signs had proved to be futile. There was no one alive left on the planet.

Since learning the news and viewing it himself through the video feed being sent through the stargate from Sateda, Ronon had left the control room. Since he'd returned to his quarters well over five hours ago, no one had seen or heard anything from him. Lola had seen firsthand the devastating effects a loss of this magnitude could have on a person, back on Earth she'd seen even the strongest of men get so lost inside their grief there was no way out and it broke her heart to think that after everything he'd suffered through, Ronon was now going through the same.

_The decision to visit Ronon's guest quarters had not been one she'd come to easily, but Lola knew of all the people here on Atlantis, he was the one who needed that comfort of knowing he wasn't alone. In her hand she balanced a small tray of food, not knowing whether he'd eaten yet or not. The guards stationed outside the room looked at her a little cautiously before stepping aside and allowing her to swipe her hand over the panel, allowing her to enter the room when the doors opened. _

_The doors closed behind her and the room was once more cloaked in darkness. Ronon's hulking figure was easily noticeable, leaning against the frame of the small window staring blankly down upon the beautifully lit city. He didn't acknowledge her presence or give any indication he'd even heard her entering the room, he just continued to stare vacantly, his mind clearly somewhere far away. "I wasn't sure if you'd eaten as of yet..." Lola said quietly, laying the tray down onto a desk. _

_Still Ronon didn't answer, didn't move and it broke her heart to see him in such a way, he was so different from the man who only hours ago had had so much fire inside of him. Standing alongside the Satedan at the window, Lola looked up at him, the look in his eyes, one she'd seen many times before in the faces of soldiers who'd suffered through the worst the war had to offer, those who'd lost all the fight inside of them. They became dead inside. Void of any emotion._

_She lingered close to his side, hoping that just her presence may somehow, someway give him the smallest of comfort. Lola had no idea how it felt to be alone for so long, but she knew grief, she knew about the dark abyss that threatened to swallow you whole. She knew about the emptiness that settled inside you, cloaking your body and soul, that all-encompassing, intense ache, which left you wondering if you were ever going to survive the pain. For the longest of times she'd found herself lost in a haze of darkness, not sure if she was going to make it through, but having someone by her side, reassuring her, had given her the strength to make it through to the other side. _

_Reaching out a delicate hand, Lola closed the barrier between her and Ronon, threading her fingers through his and clasping his large hand in her own, glad when he didn't pull away from the comfort she was offering. "I'm so sorry Ronon." She told him softly, allowing the room to dissolve into a quiet stillness once more. _

_There were no other words needed, not really. Nothing would ease the pain of his devastating loss, or give a reason as to why this had happened. There was nothing she could do to help him come to terms with any of it yet, all Lola could hope for was that he found some comfort with her being there, that maybe one day he came to realize he wasn't as alone as he may feel right now. _

_For the longest time they remained in the silence, both of them staring out into the darkness and past the twinkling lights of the city. When Lola looked towards the stars, she felt Ronon squeeze her hand, "Stay a while...?" he asked gruffly, not turning his focus away from the view in front of him. Lola's only response was to squeeze his hand, telling him silently that she was there._

Lola lifted her forehead from the cool shower wall, tilting her face up towards the spray of the hot water, revelling in how it soothed her aching muscles. It had been an hour since she'd left Ronon, knowing they both needed their rest, him a lot more than her. Seven long years running, not being able to rest for too long at a time she couldn't imagine anything worse. Ronon was exhausted, not only physically but emotionally and mentally to; you didn't need to be a genius to see that.

Part of her had hated leaving him alone in that room with nothing but his thoughts, she wanted nothing more than keep on reminding him he wasn't alone. Though deep down she knew he needed time to come to terms with his loss alone, whether he wanted to or not.

Switching off the shower, Lola stepped out into the cool air, grasping for the towel hanging over the edge of the sink. Wrapping it tightly around her damp body, she headed back into her bedroom. It was modest in size, not incredibly spacious like many of the rooms here in Atlantis but it suited her needs. It provided enough room for her to have brought along a few items from Earth to help it feel more like home.

Against the far wall hung her medical degree, all of her other awards had remained back on Earth. Surrounding the framed award were various pictures, all beautifully framed. In total there were six, all of them reminders of the people she'd met back during her time in Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan, including her medical team and various patients. Lola still found herself smiling when she looked at them, despite having been some of the toughest years of her life, she'd learned so much and wouldn't trade any of it. Beneath them sat her desk, her laptop and the various files Dr Beckett had given her placed neatly on top.

Above her dresser laid out like a montage of her life, were pictures of her friends and family. Pictures ranging from high school right up until her going away party 15 months ago. Looking upon them always offered Lola a sense of calm, when the madness she now found herself surrounded by threatened to overwhelm her, she'd turn to look at the various faces of the people she loved and would find her reason to keep going. They were a constant reminder on how lucky she was and how far she'd come in recent years.

Settling down on the edge of her bed, Lola ran her delicate hand over the soft material of the patchwork quilt her Mother had made her. It had been everywhere with her, always there as a reminder of home and all its wonders. Smiling softly, she tilted her head around, opening the small jewellery box she'd received as a gift from an Iranian family. The Middle Eastern Khatom Mosiac pattern was not one that'd be easily copied, in fact it was a one of a kind, at least as far as Lola knew. Opening the box she pulled out her St Christopher, and fastened it around her neck, though as she did her radio crackled to life, causing the young Doctors shoulders to sag.

"Doctor Cassidy to the infirmary." Sighing softly she pushed up from the bed and grabbed a fresh set of clothes from her dresser. _There was no rest for the wicked._ Until Atlantis Lola had realized just how right her Mother had been.

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**_Guys thank you for such a warm response to not only this story but Lola too. So happy to see you guys love her as much as I do._**

**_Thanks to all those who've added the story onto alert, now onto review replies. Remember guys reviews are love, I like to hear what you all think._**

_Sam0728 – Thanks for your review hun! So happy to hear your enjoying the story, hope you liked this chapter as well._

_Shellbean – Thanks for the review hun. Yes I thought the flashback may throw a few people, but I promise you this is a RononOC story. Like Carson, Lola is experienced and that's why I love her so much, her experience is so varied. I can't wait to delve deeper into who Ronon is! So excited! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

_Kittenz714 – Thanks for the review hun! Yes I knew John and Lola would throw people off a bit, as for the potential love triangle...you'll have to wait and see what happens but I promise you the incident isn't going to remain hidden away. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

_Daisyscrapper – Thanks for the review hun! I've only read a few RononOC stories and just had to write one of my own! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!_


	4. Wanna Know You

**Chapter 4 - Wanna Know you...**

_And I salute you for your courage  
And I applaud your perseverance  
And I embrace you for your faith_

_In the face of adversarial forces_

_Alanis Morissette - Surrender_

Ronon was surprised to find himself feeling amused as he stared down at the young Doctor in front of him. It was rare he found himself smiling but for some reason, now, he found it impossible not to do, somehow it felt almost like the most natural thing in the world, especially around her. "I saw it first." He said gruffly.

"Well this is quite the predicament." Lola sighed, shaking her head as she looked back up to the hulking man in front of her. Placing a hand on her hip she smiled and tilted her head to the side. "Are you really going to deny me this? It's the last of the chocolate pudding. Are you really going to be that mean?"

Around them people passed by, looking at them in confusion. What a sight they must have looked however, a huge muscle of a man, standing at well over six foot, arguing with the considerably smaller Doctor who just grazed 5 ft 6. Neither Ronon nor Lola paid them any mind though; they'd been at this standstill for well over two minutes and were still no closer to deciding who got the last of the pudding.

"I'm hungry." Ronon replied flatly, watching with satisfaction as the smaller woman's honey brown eyes narrowed dangerously as they flickered down to his already overflowing tray and then back up to him.

"And you've got enough food on your plate for a small army big man. All I want is the pudding." She said, holding out her delicate hand. "So hand it over."

"Not gonna happen Doc." Was Ronon's gruff response, challenging her to argue and Lola pursed her lips, retracting her outstretched hand. "They have fruit cups." He offered.

Lola struggled not to laugh at that and instead shook her head. "Well by all means take a fruit cup." She told him, plucking one up from the table top and holding it out to Ronon, arching her eyebrow. Inside she couldn't believe she was stood here, in the middle of the mess hall, trying to convince Ronon to give her the pudding, though needs must, and right now she had a chocolate craving that wouldn't fade. "I don't like pineapple. Come on I'm dying here."

"Lola. Ronon. Is everything alright?"

Seemingly out of nowhere, Teyla appeared at Ronon's side, looking between the two questioningly. Of course she'd spotted the pair of them upon entry to the mess hall, and in the time it had taken for her to grab a tray, and gather her lunch they had remained in place at the desert table, seemingly stuck on something.

Curiosity naturally had gotten the better of the Athosian, after all she'd never seen these two interacting at all in the 5 weeks since Ronon's arrival here on Atlantis, minus the one or two times Ronon had been in the infirmary after a mission in which yet again, he'd gotten himself injured. Dr Cassidy or Lola as Teyla now knew her had an extremely sunny, giving, understanding nature about her. It's what had brought them together as friends almost instantly upon meeting. Teyla now felt lucky enough to count the Doctor as one of her closest friends here on Atlantis.

"Ronon's being extremely unreasonable." Lola answered instantly, giving a look to Ronon that clearly dared him to argue back. The Satedan though remained quiet, the amusement written clearly all over his face.

Teyla looked up at Ronon, tilting her head to the side as she did so, giving him no choice but to look down at her. So when his attention moved away from her and onto Teyla, Lola took advantage of the momentary distraction and placed the fruit cup on his tray quickly and snatched up the pudding. "Thanks Teyla." She sang, smiling brightly at Ronon when he looked down at her in slight surprise. "You snooze you lose buddy."

Lola turned and quickly made her way over to a table, closest to the window before Ronon could even contemplate snatching the pudding back. As she walked away, Ronon kept his eyes trained on her. Teyla lightly patted his arm and indicated for him to follow her to the table at which both Rodney and John were sat. The Satedan went willingly but couldn't fight the urge he had to look over at the pretty Doctor.

Something was growing inside of him, something unfamiliar or at least something he hadn't felt in such a long time. It was impossible to describe, if asked to he doubted he could. He'd started feeling it the day he'd first met her, like maybe, even after everything that he'd been through, after learning the fate of his planet, that there was some hope left in the world. Like all wasn't as hopeless as he'd started to allow himself to believe.

"I believe Ronon is a little disappointed Lola succeeded in getting the last pudding." Teyla said with a small chuckle, as both she and Ronon settled down at the table. John though nodded his head in understanding.

"Yeah. Been there myself buddy. Never get between that woman and her chocolate pudding. Last time I did...well let's just say I learnt my lesson." He said with a grimace causing Rodney to chuckle as he too replayed the time Lola and John had come to blows, it had been a funny turn of events when Lola had flicked the green jello she'd been left with at John, scoring a perfect hit when it landed in his hair. To say John had been horrified would have been quite an understatement.

Teyla laughed softly as she too thought back to the events of that day, to say she'd been shocked would have been an understatement, but it had left her thoroughly amused, especially when Ford himself had been unable to hold in the bark of laughter, earning himself such a look of loathing from John. Her hazel eyes flickered back to Ronon and she watched him curiously as he failed to take in any of what had just been said.

Ronon found that he was incapable of looking away from Lola as she stared down at the tablet in front of her. Her brow was furrowed in concentration and he wanted nothing more than to reach out and smooth away those lines of confusion. Her skin looked incredibly soft, unblemished and it only increased his urge to reach out and touch her, to revel in the feeling of it.

He was finding he wanted to get to know her. It had been so long since he'd found himself so intrigued by someone. There was a secret pain though, hidden behind her eyes that only someone looking close enough could see. Something had happened to her, something dark; something that he could see still haunted her even now and it only served to increase his curiosity. Something about her seemed too good to be true, but he knew there was nothing false about who she was. She appeared to have this innate ability to make someone feel completely at ease, even someone like him.

He wanted to know her.

* * *

**_Sorry for the epic fail in updating guys. No excuse other than I've been writing and trying to update two stories. Plus I've been attending various job interviews, no luck yet though. Next chapter much longer!_**

**_Now onto review replies. Thanks to those who've put this story on alert._**

_Shellbean – I hated the way the writers ended the Runner episode, I mean I really did want to see how Ronon reacted to seeing the destruction of his planet. By the next episode he was over it, it's like the writers had forgot about it and that did my head in so thought I'd touch upon it here. Hope you enjoyed this chapter._

_Kittenz714 – I hated that they didn't give Ronon a bit of love, I mean the guy had been alone for seven years, if anyone deserved it, it was him. We know Rodney and John had some loving both on and off screen why not Ronon. Trust me though this story is purely centred on our lovely Ronon getting his chance and opening up. Hope you liked this chapter._

_Sam0728 – Poor Ronon indeed! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well and thank you for your review._


	5. Bridging the connection

**Chapter Five**

_Hold on to the past tense tonight_  
_Don't say a word,_  
_I'm OK with the quiet._  
_The truth is gonna change everything._  
**_David Cook – Lie To Me_**

The village was a disaster, destroyed by the flash flood waters that had raged through only two days previous, devastating the unsuspecting population. Boulders and overturned trees that had uprooted from the ground lay strewn across the wet, sodden ground. Scattered remains of what had once been homes lay haphazardly all over. The ruined, tattered remains of their lives, their clothes, everything they owned lay scattered as far as the eye could see, completely unsalvageable. Most of the cattle, working in the fields were now dead. Crops had been destroyed, leaving the village with no harvest for the winter.

The flood had devastated the small unsuspecting population of the planet. The heavy rain pour had battered down on the planet for 12 unforgiving days. The simple dam that had been in no shape to support the kind of water pressure that had built up with the rain, finally failed. Then as they all slept, the structure broke and an enormous amount of water became unleashed, and ultimately destroyed all in its path, which sadly had turned out to be the village.

Bodies still remained littered throughout. Homes, cattle, crops etc, hadn't been the only things lost. There'd been no warning, no time to escape the ruthless and unyielding power of the water. So as one could imagine the risk of disease had been increased tenfold. The people of the village or at least those who'd remained were completely uneducated in disease control, none of them seemed to understand how even now the water had receded they were still in danger of infection and this was where the medical team of Atlantis came in.

The emergency camp had been set up not too far from the gate to allow easy access for the Atlantis teams, bringing in supplies of every shape and size. The objective was to not only provide proper disease management but to also help the villages rebuild and fortify a new sturdier dam, and new homes. It was a grueling unforgiving task they had but each member was dedicated to making it work, meaning every inch of this camp was more organized than any both Carson and Lola had been involved in back home.

It was with a frustrated sigh that Lola stepped out of the makeshift medical tent, one of many, and threw a disgruntled look to the soldiers guarding the entrance. They looked startled almost, on edge with her sudden appearance and outburst, so she shot them an apologetic smile and moved over to where Carson was currently stood. Both of them were beyond exhausted, not only physically but mentally as well. The last week had certainly taken it's toll on the pair and it was visible to see. The conditions they were having to work within were indeed some of the worst either Doctor had come across, even when back on Earth.

All over the makeshift settlement, soldiers lingered, patrolling, their presence a constant reassurance to not only the members of the expedition but the people of this once thriving planet. One man in particular though stood out from the rest of them, the hulking mass of Ronon Dex, continuously moved through the camp, he was hyper vigilant, his evergreen eyes flickered over the makeshift camp, assessing all areas settlement.

"Any luck love?"

Lola sighed heavily and shook her head, brushing a stray tattered chocolate curl from her face as she turned to lean against the table. "Well one guy told me in a roundabout way where I could put my stethoscope..." she commented, smiling lightly as Carson chuckled and placed a sympathetic hand on to her shoulder. "They're exhausted, agitated, grieving, can't really hold any outbursts against them and..." she commented, her voice drifting off somewhat as her eyes followed Ronon. The Satedan was carrying a heavy looking tree trunk over his shoulder, his muscles slick with sweat, rippling with every step he took.

Carson looked down to the young Doctor beside him and followed her line of sight, a smirk settling onto his lips as he saw the source of her sudden distraction. He'd silently watched her over the last week, Ronon too when he could and Carson could see the mutual interest there between them. Neither had spoken much during the week on this planet, but the sneaky looks had been hard to miss and he found himself wanting to encourage whatever it was building between them. After everything Ronon had been through, chances were he could benefit a great deal from opening up to someone like Lola and vice versa. There'd been a time he'd wondered if there was something between her and John but alas he had been wrong but with Ronon, he could see it happening.

"You know you should talk to him, lord knows he needs a break," he said, watching as Lola's head snapped towards him and a faint blush settled onto her cheeks. Knowing she'd been caught from the look on Carson's face, Lola stood, turning her back on where Ronon now worked and made a show of sorting through one of the medical bags. Carson chuckled and nudged her playfully.

"I'm honestly not sure what you're talking about Carson." she said softly, chewing down on her bottom lip, unable to shake away the image of Ronon and the rippling muscles in his arms, and just for a moment she had allowed herself to imagine what it would be like to be held in those arms. Shaking her head she looked up at Carson, the blush in her cheeks deepening when he continued to look at her knowingly, chuckling again as he did so.

"Of course you don't love." he replied, playfully rolling his eye at her and fastening up the medical bag she'd been rifling through.

Lola shook her head and laughed lightly, playfully knocking her shoulder against Carson's arm before stepping away from him and running a hand along the back of her neck her muscles taut and tense. "I'll let you take a swing at the guys in there."

Carson sighed and shook his head, a playful glint in his eyes as she passed Lola and headed back towards the tent, they're more injured patients sat. Lola watched him go for a moment before chuckling and heading over to the supplies tent. Though no sooner had she reached the entrance than a disgruntled Ronon appeared at her side, scowling deeply as he held up his hand.

Lola had to admit she was a little surprised at his sudden appearance but all that faded as she took note of his hand. The blood pouring from the deep gash covering the center of his hand, "Again Ronon..." she commented taking his large hand into two of her own, raising it slightly to get a better look at the open wound.

"Wasn't my fault, wood broke." he said simply, smirking slightly as he caught Lola rolling her eyes at him.

"Never your fault is it...come on, lets get you stitched up." she said determining he'd need a few stitches, at least once she got the few splinters that had become embedded within the wound.

Ronon followed her into the tent, unable to take his eyes off the beautiful brunette who'd long since captured his attention. Lola seemed to light up everything within him, sparking to life emotions he hadn't felt in such a long time. For so long his entire being, his soul had been consumed with that feeling of emptiness, and more recently with the knowledge that his people were really gone, anger, frustration and crippling sadness but now...now he felt a strange sort of peace and he knew she was the reason.

He wanted to know her but then the idea of her really knowing him terrified him, after all in the seven years he'd been on the run and even before that, he'd done unspeakable things and he didn't know if he could share those things with her. Burden her with those haunting things from his past but he found he wanted to, and he knew somehow, somewhere deep down inside that if there was anyone who he could share that darker side of himself with then it was her. Something inside of him was changing and he knew it was doing so in order to make room for her in his life.

As he sat down in the chair offered to him he took a chance to glance at her, taking in and studying her unique beauty, something he indulged in doing any time he was lucky enough to find some alone time with her. Right now he had to resist the urge to reach out and run his fingers through her glossy, chocolate curls as a few stray ones fell from the bun she'd had them tied up in, framing her face.

Her movements were graceful and athletic as she gathered what she needed to patch him up, and he could tell she had a impressive, slim and lean body beneath the combats and white tank top she wore. Again he longed to reach out, let his fingers draw her top up, finally revealing that stunning body to him. He wanted to feel her hands on him, her fingers moving over the lines of his solid, muscular chest. He simply longed to have her, to claim her and satisfy the beast now writhing impatiently within him, he wanted to make her his own. It had been a long seven years since he had been near let alone touched another woman and he hadn't expected to feel this strongly about someone so soon.

"Ronon?"

Ronon cleared his throat and looked up at Lola as she stared down at him, a bemused look on her face. "What?" he asked, his eyes following her as she pulled out a chair opposite him, laying his hand down on the table as she sat down.

"You looked lost in your own little world there." she commented with a smile, carefully numbing the area of the injury. "I think this is like the fourth time in two weeks I've had to tend to you." her eyes flickered up to meet Ronon's, a smile on her face as she spoke, he truly did have a knack for getting injured.

"Yeah, but this time was an accident," he commented, a small smirk playing on his own lips as she lifted her gaze to meet his once more.

"Oh well then, my apologies." she teased, before laughing lightly and shaking her head at him.

There was a nervous kind of tension about her whenever she was around this man, something about him simply drew her in, sparked an innate desire to know him. There was a demanding, primal urge that encouraged her to become one with him, to join him, understand him and become one with his psyche. It was difficult to fight against and the more she was around him the less she thought she should.

"The people here respect you." Ronon broke the silence between them, his words surprising Lola somewhat as she paused in what she was doing, to look up at him. "I've seen them, how they are with you...how you are with them, it just seems natural."

Lola smiled softly, though felt stunned, there was a faint glow in her cheeks as she looked down at his hand. "I've had a lot of experience with people in these kind of situations back on Earth," she said in a way of explaining how it was she managed to work in such conditions so easily. Sure she was beyond exhausted and drained but it wasn't anything more than she could handle, she knew this.

"What about you, I don't think you've stopped since you arrived." she pointed out, smiling softly at him, "It makes me feel safe, with you here..." she admitted, surprising not only Ronon but herself with that admission.

Their eyes locked, in the instant he had appeared, Lola had felt as if a part of her soul had fit back into place, a piece she'd known was missing but done her best to ignore. For the first time in her life, and his own, they were feeling complete, their souls singing out loud with happiness at discovering their mate.

Ronon's larger, newly bandaged hand encompassed hers lovingly, holding her and finally bridging that connection between them. Lola felt her breath catch and her soul to sing. A comforting warmth spread throughout her, coursing through her veins, thawing out her empty, emotional husk, her entire body tingling.

This feeling, this is what she'd been missing all this time. Ronon. Her soul felt complete with him here, in this simple moment. Then, as she opened her mouth to say something, to break the silence a loud explosion rocked the ground beneath them, and terrified screams pierced the air around them. The sounds of a troubled voice came over the radio, a little too late in warning them to a problem.

Ronon was on his feet within seconds, holding tightly onto her hand and pulling her behind him, hurrying towards the door of the shelter. Clutching the radio which she had grabbed from the table, tightly in her hand, Lola pressed the button and lifted it to her mouth as they raced outside. The deafening roar of what she knew to be a dart roared over her head, making the brunette duck slightly, panic clear on her face, "All units get the villagers to the gate...!" she yelled.

Injured and haggard villagers were running in all directions, the makeshift camp now in a state of complete and utter chaos. People were running towards the forest, pushing and shoving each other in a bid to get to safety. There was a moment where her mind flashed back to her time in Afghanistan and the Sudan and it was always terrifying to witness people in such a panic.

"Come on!" Ronon yelled, giving her no option to the contrary before he began running, pulling her along with him. A ball of flames erupting right beside them, the sheer force of the blast knocking Ronon off balance and Lola off her feet. Her head hit the ground, shock vibrating through her body.

Ronon was beside her, on his knees pulling her up into a seated position. Lola covered her mouth with her arm, coughing as the rancid, burning smoke began to fill her lungs, her eyes watering. Growling, as another explosion rocked the ground beneath them, Ronon gripped her arm in a vice grip and yanked her up onto her feet. "Lola...?"

"I'm fine..." she assured him, nodding her head as if to emphasize the point. Her ears were ringing as her eyes sought out the gate, devastation rocking through her when it became apparent the wraith had in fact dialed in. Hope of getting these people to safety evaporated and she shook her head, panic on her face as she turned to Ronon whose dark, keen eyes were scanning the skies, aiming his gun towards the darts flying overhead and firing.

There were shadows swarming everywhere around her, beings she could only catch a glimpse of out of the corner of her eye. It was like trying to grasp at smoke, trying to catch it with your bare hands, it faded away from her in an instant. Lola spun around, her hand locked tightly around Ronon's, her other fumbling for her weapon as she struggled to catch sight of the life form stalking her like prey. A hallucination created by the Wraith, the rational part of her knew this but she felt terrified.

The camp had been completely and utterly devastated, destroyed. The shelters were nothing more than smoldering shells, with black smoke billowing out of them, darkening the sky above them. The screams still echoed loudly, pure terror and torment that tore at her heart and she scanned around for the nearest source.

Almost immediately her eyes zeroed in on Carson, her friend, her colleague, her mentor as he struggled to support the weight of a severely burned man. A dreaded beam swarmed the area directly behind Carson, the older man completely oblivious to his danger.

"Carson move!" she screamed, making to move forward only to find herself held in place by Ronon. As she struggled against his grip, Carson vanished within the beam, leaving the dark haired beauty too stunned to react. Though before she could even begin to try and formulate any kind of reaction a blast of light surrounded both her and Ronon, stopping the Satedan dead in his tracks.

The brightness was blinding, it tore away Lola's vision, stripping everything away as her legs, her arms, all of it became limp and lifeless. Ronon...as her mind began slipping away, her last thought was of him. Her mind was vanishing, she was fading into nothingness, she could no longer feel his grip on her hand, she was all alone.

And then finally, she felt nothing at all.

* * *

**_No excuse for the delay here guys, I've been simply stuck with this story and it's taken till now to get myself out of the rut I'd gotten myself into and now I'm back and excited about the upcoming plots as I hope you guys will be._**

_puffaly - Thanks for the review hun, hope you enjoy this long awaited update. _

_Shellbean - Sorry the chapters are too short for you hun right now I'm working on making them longer and can gurantee they will be from Chapter 6 onwards. Nah, there's no way Melena would have wanted him to be alone forever, I hope I can make this love story a great one for you. Thanks for the review and sorry about the delay in updating. _

_Ava - Greetings, to Australia! Hope your still with us and you enjoy this chapter!_

_Guest - Thanks for the review. Hope your still with us to enjoy this chapter. _

_Kittenz714 - You've helped a huge tonne with getting my butt moving on this story hun so a big shout out and thank you to you! This Ronon definitely knows what he wants, it a bit more primal and instinctive with Lola, with Keller it was too forced, I'm hoping to make this more natural. They're true soul-mates in every single sense of the word. Thanks again hun._


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